Trinamool to stick to decision if government doesn't respond

NEW DELHI: Union Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy today said there would be no room left for reconsideration of the party's decision to withdraw support from the UPA if the government did not respond to their demands on FDI and fuel price hike.

"(Trinamool Congress chief) Mamata Banerjee has put forth three options on FDI, diesel and LPG before the government. We haven't heard any response from the Congress so far...We will have no room for consideration in case the government did not respond (to the demands)," he said.

Trinamool Congress had yesterday dealt a severe blow to the UPA by deciding to withdraw its ministers from the Union government and its support but left the doors open for a possible rapprochement till Friday.

The second biggest constituent of the UPA with 19 members in Lok Sabha sprang a surprise after a meeting of its MPs and top leaders with a caveat that the party could reconsider its stand if the government rolls back its decisions.

Banerjee wanted total withdrawal of the decision on FDI, raising the cap on subsidised LPG from six to 12 cylinders and reduction of diesel hike from Rs 5 by Rs 3 or Rs 4 for reconsideration of her decision.

On the possibilities of mid-term polls if Trinamool withdraws support, Roy said, "It depends on the government (whether it is able to garner support of other parties)."

When asked if Trinamool Congress will support the No- Confidence motion against the government, he said, "We have withdrawn support from UPA...whatever you can read or interpret."

However, Roy said, the next Parliament session is still two-month away.

On its hardened stand on FDI in retail, the Trinamool Congress leader said, "Ours is a principled stand in favour of the people. We have been opposing FDI in retail for three years. We have opposed FDI even on the floor of Parliament. We have not taken this step for any benefit."

On Trinamool-Congress coalition government in West Bengal, he said, "Congress is part of our government in West Bengal even though Trinamool has a majority of its own...It depends on the Congress what it wants to do."

Roy said all TMC Central ministers will be submitting their resignations in their own handwriting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and not to Banerjee.